2026 and then: 35 years later, ‘Doug’ creator reflects on Lipscomb’s creative influence

The iconic cartoon “Doug”, created by Jim Jinkins, premiered on Nickelodeon 35 years ago.

Jim Jinkins was a 1975 graduate of David Lipscomb College with a double major in speech and art.
He was known on campus as “Bison Man” and even won the title of Bachelor of Ugliness his senior year.

During his time at Lipscomb, Jinkins was a cartoonist for The Babbler, the student-run newspaper, and he was a member of the social club Sigma Chi Delta. He was named the Alumnus of
the Year in 1999.

Although David Lipscomb College didn’t offer an animation major when he attended, Jinkins
was still able to showcase his talent.

He worked on an animation project his senior year that helped him prepare for the cartoon world.

“Lipscomb provided me a space to work, wing it and figure it out on my own,” Jinkins said.

After graduating, Jinkins went on to work as an animator for Nickelodeon. His creation “Doug”
first aired in 1991, running for four seasons before being acquired by Disney for three more.

“I didn’t wake up thinking, ‘I’m going to make a cartoon,’” Jinkins said. “At night, instead of
journaling, I drew cartoons.”

“Doug” began as simple doodles, cartoon versions of himself, that were never meant to be
self-conscious. For Jinkins, doodling was a way to tell his own story on paper, long before the
character appeared on television.

In the May 9, 1975, issue of The Babbler, an article titled “Bison Man Roams DCL Campus” describes an early version of the character he created. Inspired by Bison Day and his love for the League of Justice, Jinkins performed as “Bison Man,” even taking the stage at chapel to deliver spontaneous announcements.

This was a stage where Jinkins could showcase his humor, character creation and creativity. From Lipscomb Chapel to Nickelodeon, Jinkins emphasized the importance of having a large platform to showcase creative work.

“[Nickelodeon] gave us a space to share stories,” he said. “Which led us to the question, ‘What should we say?’”

He took this opportunity to create a show that dealt with emotionally honest topics for children. “I
wanted to show kids a world where everyone took honesty seriously,” Jinkins told Nickelodeon
Animation Studio in an interview.

Today, Lipscomb University offers a variety of programs in film, animation, and journalism, including Herd
Media, where students showcase original work and stories. The question Jinkins once asked,
“What should we say?” is still one that Lipscomb students consider today.

“Lipscomb gave me an opportunity to dive head-first into the unknown,” said Braylee Epp, a
sophomore film major. “The film programs have immense opportunities to grow in learning.”